With the outcome of Friday’s game against Discovery pending a 2-point conversion attempt, Wildcat coach Steve Sims knew immediately who was getting the ball: Lorenzo Stephenson, who had just scored his fourth touchdown of the night to keep his team alive.
The senior running back took the handoff and plunged straight ahead into a pile-up. After several seconds of suspense, Stephenson was ruled across the goal-line, giving his team a thrilling 29-28 win in overtime over the Titans on homecoming night at R. Harold Harrison Stadium and sending the Apalachee student section sprinting toward the victory bell behind the opposite end zone.
“We needed a win as bad as anybody,” said Sims, whose team improved to 1-2 on the year with the victory. “The kids had a great week at practice after a disappointing first couple of games and I was just really proud of their effort.”
It was a monster night for Stephenson, who ran for 176 yards on 34 carries to go along with the four touchdowns and the winning conversion. Stephenson punished the Discovery defense throughout the night, gaining several hard-earned yards after contact.
“I believe in my offensive line,” Stephenson said. “I knew we could do it and if we worked as a team, it could happen.
“This was a long time coming.”
Adding to the Wildcats’ production on the ground was junior Josh Agbenou, better known as a standout at defensive end, who toted the ball 11 times for 113 yards, including a big 34-yarder that helped set up the Wildcats’ first touchdown of the night.
“We challenged the offensive line this week to be physical and allow us to run the ball effectively, and they did that,” Sims said. “And our defense made some great plays and allowed us to stay conservative and do what we wanted to do on the ground.
“All of our guys deserve this win.”
Friday’s contest was a back-and-forth battle with both teams trading scoring jabs.
Discovery (1-3) struck first midway through the opening quarter. After a bad snap sailed over the head of Apalachee punter Parker Miller, the Titans got the ball at the Wildcat 18 and wasted no time as Alexander Drazic found Jason Mitchell from 16 yards out two plays later.
Drazic would connect with Mitchell on two more scores — a 23-yarder late in the second quarter that put the Titans up 14-7 at halftime and a 12-yarder with 1:45 left in the third which extended the lead to 21-13.
But each time, the Wildcats refused to go away and they got the break they were looking for early in the fourth quarter. After Khiree Seabrook’s 65-yard touchdown run was called back because of a holding penalty, the Titans were forced to punt, giving Apalachee the ball at its 42 with 8:22 remaining.
On 3rd down and 4 from the 48, sophomore quarterback AJ Forbing came up with his only pass completion of the game — a 10-yard screen to Sam Skinner out of the backfield that moved the ball down to the Titan 42 and kept the drive going. A few plays later, Stephenson scored from 6 yards out to cut the deficit to 21-19 and set up a 2-point try.
Stephenson got in on the attempt but an illegal block was called on Apalachee, pushing the ball back to the 16. Then the Wildcats caught their own break when Discovery was called for pass interference, moving the ball back down to the 8. Forbing then took the next snap, and after finding no one open he darted for the corner of the end zone and scored to tie the game.
“We were trying to hit AJ Millbrooks in the corner there and the protection broke down on (Forbing), but he made a play and I was proud of him,” Sims said. “That’s the way we battle and win games.
“It’s not pretty but we’ve just got to be able to play good defense and run the football and we did that tonight.”
Apalachee resumes play Sept. 15 with a trip to Walnut Grove. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
—
D 7 7 7 0 7 — 28
A 0 7 6 8 8 — 29
D—Alexander Drazic 16 pass to Jason Mitchell (Drazic kick)
A—Lorenzo Stephenson 6 run (Caleb Waycaster kick)
D—Drazic 23 pass to Mitchell (Drazic kick)
A—Stephenson 2 run (kick failed)
D—Drazic 12 pass to Mitchell (Drazic kick)
A—Stephenson 6 run (AJ Forbing run)
D—Khiree Seabrook 2 run (Drazic kick)
A—Stephenson 10 run (Stephenson run)

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